Pakistan’s newly appointed head coach Gary Kirsten has set an ambitious target for the national cricket team: to win at least one of the three upcoming ICC events in the next three years. These events include two T20 World Cups (2024 and 2026) and the 2025 ODI Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host.
Kirsten, who is currently the mentor of IPL side Gujarat Titans, believes that winning one of these major tournaments would be a significant achievement for Pakistan. “If you can win one of those three ICC Events, that will be an amazing achievement on its own,” he said.
The former South Africa batter is expected to take charge of his new job from May 22 ahead of Pakistan’s tour of England. He admitted that the time frame for preparations for the T20 World Cup in June is short, but he is confident that the team can build a solid foundation in the next three weeks.
Kirsten emphasized the importance of creating a positive environment for the players to perform at their best. “My job is to make sure that the team operates at its best. If the team is operating at its best, we will always have a good chance of winning a trophy,” he said.
He also highlighted the immense talent within the Pakistan team, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf. “I’m looking forward to understanding what makes them tick and how I can help them to be the best versions of themselves going forward,” he said.
Kirsten believes that Pakistan has the potential to be one of the top teams in the world. “The view on Pakistan cricket hasn’t shifted for a long time. There is always an expectation that it should be a high performing team all the time,” he said. “It’s always wonderful from a coaching perspective when you can help them unlock the real potential.”
